Airco D.H.15 Gazelle

The Airco D.H.15 Gazelle was an experimental version of the D.H.9A, built as a flying test bed for a 500hp B.H.P. Atlantic twelve cylinder watercooled engine. This was an early example of a series of attempts between the wars to produce more powerful engines by bolting together two smaller engines – in this case two 230hp B.H.P. engines driving a single crankcase.

An order for two D.H.15s was placed on 7 September 1918, but only one was ever completed. The resulting aircraft was similar to the Liberty powered D.H.9A, and retained the standard armament of that aircraft. Tests with the completed aircraft during May 1920 showed that was faster and had a higher ceiling than the D.H.9A, but not by enough to justify further development.

De Havilland Enterprises - A History, Graham M. Simons.
Looks at the impressive range of aircraft produced by de Havilland, from the earliest flimsy biplanes, to the versatile Mosquito and on to the post-war jet age, including the famous Comet, the first jet airliner. A useful reference for anyone interested in de Havilland, and also a guide to just how far aircraft came in a single lifetime. Well illustrated and informative, this book covers an impressive amount of ground in just over 300 pages (Read Full Review)